DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 187/10
Thursday, 6 May 2010
First Mentoring Task Force Troops on the frontline in Afghanistan
Brisbane-based soldiers from the 1st Mentoring Task Force (MTF-1) soldiers continue to
make steady progress while undertaking population protection operations in Oruzgan
Province.
In the past week, MTF-1 soldiers and their Afghan National Army counterparts have found
fifteen insurgent weapons and ammunition caches, as well as two improvised explosive
devices, in the Mirabad Valley, Baluchi Valley and Chora regions.
The caches and improvised explosive devices were found inside houses, in fields and other
areas frequented by the local people as well as Australian, ISAF and Afghan National
Security Force personnel.
Commanding Officer of MTF-1, Lieutenant Colonel Jason Blain said his soldiers conduct
security operations around the clock across the MTF-1 area of operations in dangerous and
challenging conditions.
“Our people work in partnership with Afghan National Army soldiers and patrol the streets,
fields, deserts and villages on operations day in and day out,” Lieutenant Colonel Blain said.
“The reality is that there is no frontline in Afghanistan. Even the Multinational Base in Tarin
Kowt comes under insurgent rocket attack from time to time: we’re constantly fighting
against insurgents who try to blend into the village environment so they can control the
people through fear, whilst simultaneously conducting indiscriminate, violent attacks.”
Combined, the caches found during the past week contained one 107mm rocket, eight rocket
propelled grenades, one rocket propelled grenade launcher, thousands of rounds of
ammunition for AK47 Assault Rifles and small quantities of other small arms and machine
gun ammunition, two hand grenades, two heavy machine gun tripods, four high explosive
mortar rounds and seven sets of chest webbing used by insurgents.
“Our troops search houses and other buildings used by the Taliban to hide caches, build
bombs and launch attacks,” Lieutenant Colonel Blain said.
“Our soldiers’ partner and mentor Afghan troops on these operations and they are having a
real impact on Taliban freedom of movement.”
Last week’s finds are in addition to more then 200 weapons caches and IEDs already
discovered and destroyed this year in Oruzgan Province.
For more information on the Australian Defence Force’s operations in Afghanistan go to:
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
